When Water Met Earth
by The-Night-Writer101
Summary: *AU* Aqua is a struggling mother who trespasses on a wealthy lord's land when trying to find shelter in a storm. Now she's accused of being a spy. What will happen to her and her two young sons? Rated T for darker themes as the story progresses.
1. A Stormy Night

**Disclaimer: I do not own Kingdom Hearts or Disney. If I did, so many ships would be canon. So many...**

* * *

Thunder cracked overhead. A tired figure pulled along her two sons as the rain beat down on their heads.

"I'm tired, Mommy," whimpered the small blond one.

"We've been walking for hours!" complained the grumpy raven haired one.

"I know darlings, but we must push on. This is not public land. If we stop now, we could be arrested for trespassing." The two young sons gasped at this.

"B-but that's not fair!" The raven hair screeched and his younger blond brother echoed the statement. He was promptly shushed by the tired figure.

"Just a little farther," she pleaded. A little farther on this dark and twisted road.

* * *

"Close all the windows and make sure we are properly armed. I do not want the Rebellion to use this storm to attack us." Twenty-one year old Terra sat in his father's study, awaiting the guards to follow his orders. Thunder boomed loudly, but Terra barely flinched. The youngest of his guards approached him.

"Is there a problem, Roxas?" While Roxas was the youngest, he was far from inexperienced. In fact, Terra would go so far as to say he trusted Roxas with his life.

"No, M'lord, it's just…" He trailed off.

"Well, spit it out!" Terra ordered.

"Our scouts spotted someone walking through the forest on the left side. We were not sure as to how to proceed, and lost pursuit of them."

"Why were they not detained and/or killed?" Terra felt his anger rising. He prided himself on having steadfast, capable guards that did not show mercy. To just simply let someone go was an ametur mistake that could bring later problems.

"Uh, there was a slight hesitation upon realising it was a young woman and two young boys. Hardly spy material."

"How young were the boys?" Terra's mind was headed into over drive. It could very well be a cover meant to disguise the real spy or enemy.

"From what we could see, they looked to be about three at the most. The young woman, whom we assume to be the mother looked around your age, sir." Roxas bowed his head respectfully. He could tell his master was growing angry.

"Find them. I want them in this castle by tomorrow morning. Otherwise, there will be consequences!" Terra ordered Roxas. The blond turned on his heel, and beat a path to the door. Sinking back into the chair, Terra paused to think on what he had just ordered. Why did he want them here so badly? Chances were, they weren't spies. The more he thought about this, the more he was sure of it. Most likely, it was a struggling young widow, looking for some shelter from the storm with her sons. But it was too late to call off the search. Roxas and his troop would be long gone by now. Best to just sit back and wait.

* * *

A tired nineteen year old Aqua tugged along her two sons as the rain pounded down. She could barely see for the sheets of rain flooding her vision. It was slow going, pulling along her sons, but her arms were too tired to carry them any longer. All three were silent as they walked, too tired and cold to speak. (Not that the rain would have made it easy anyway.) Lightning struck a tree close to where they walked and her youngest son, Ventus or Ven, shrieked. His blond hair was plastered to his forehead and dangling in front of his eyes, making it hard for him to see. Aqua reached back and smoothed his hair back and out of the way. Her older son, Vanitas, kept his head down and pushed resolutely through. It brought a smile to her face. He was so stubborn, just like his- She stopped that train of thought as quickly as it came. A crack of wood sounded behind them. Whirling around, she pulled her sons protectively to her chest. Armoured guards swathed in bronze, red, and black circled them, wielding all manner of weapons.

"You're wanted by our master," spoke the lead guard, his voice disembodied by the mask he wore.

"Who are they, Mommy?" asked Vanitas.

"Hush, sweetie. You and Ven stay behind me." Aqua whispered in his ear. Vanitas nodded and pulled Ven closer. She had to smile at him putting on a brave face. Van always tried to act so tough.

"I'm terribly sorry, sir. My sons and I were just passing through and got lost in the storm. If you could just guide us in the right direction, we'll leave your land." Aqua did her best to appear friendly.

"I'm afraid we can't do that," Yet another guard spoke from behind the lead guard. This guard was different, however. He wore a cape of all black, the hood pulled up and shielding his face. The only thing Aqua could see to determine he was human and not some heartless, was a flash of red hair. Biting the inside of her cheek, she began to back away slowly, pushing Ven and Van with her. The guards struck.

"Mommy!" She heard Ven yell. Whipping around to face him, she felt something hard and blunt strike her head.

* * *

He could hear the footsteps of his soldiers returning. Standing up, he adjusted his armor and attached his long, crimson cape. Glancing in the mirror, he pulled on his helmet. Time to meet the condemned. His feet clanged against the cold, marble floor. Rounding the corner, he sifted through what possibilities could be waiting. What he didn't expect to see was a petite young woman with blue hair. She was unconscious, but two boys - who couldn't be more than five - propped her up. The blond boy stared at him in terror, but the one with black hair look up with open hostility. Terra took a step towards them, but Roxas grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of the room.

"Why is she unconscious?" Terra growled.

"Well, you see, funny story. You'll laugh so hard!" Roxas himself laughed nervously.

"I'm waiting."

"Axel was a little rough." Terra swore under his breath at the idiocy of his most skilled scout.

"Put them in the dungeon. Send for me when she awakes." Terra ordered. He felt a headache coming on. A drink was in order, maybe followed by a visit to the local floozy, Larxene.

"But, sir," Roxas was continuing. "Are you sure that's wise? The woman looks sickly and her boys are so young!"

"I said put them in the dungeon. I don't want to hear about or from them until the woman wakes up." Terra turned and stalked out of the room, tired of dealing with the guard. He really wasn't a people person.

 _All dressed up and no where to go_ , he lamented with a wry smirk. _Wait, there was somewhere,_ he realized. Larxene would be waiting for him, probably with a cold drink in hand. This night could turn out to be interesting indeed. He turned and headed from the castle to the village. The rain had stopped and it was actually quite peaceful. Not that Terra cared. No, he was too caught up in thoughts of women and alcohol to even think about watching his surroundings.

* * *

From high up in the trees, a figure cloaked in black watched Terra. He must get back and report the existence of the woman to his master. Finally, they had the key to breaking Terra and toppling the last remaining figure who could revive the rebellion. The figure grinned. His master would love this.

* * *

 _\- To those of you who are waiting for **It's a Man's World** to be updated, it'll be awhile. I've sort of lost interest in it and might even delete it. For now, it's on a definite hiatus. I'm really sorry about that. _

_\- Now about this story: It will be an AU, though many (if not all) Kingdom Hearts characters will appear. I'm also using a Beauty and the Beast twist in here. The characters might seem a little OC (especially Terra and Vanitas), but all that will be straightened out in time._

 _\- Secondly, two stories really inspired me to write this._ _The first one is called **The Dark Rule** , written by Marjorie Franklin. And the second is called **Odd** by The Punch Lord. These two wonderful authors really inspired me to write this, and if you have a chance, you should go check out their stories. (ESPECIALLY if you like Terqua.) _

\- Lastly, thank you all for having patience with me. I got busy trying to finish up school and my summer swim team started, leaving me with little time to write. I'm all done for the summer now, however, and the updates should roll out pretty quickly. I'm really sorry this took so long! Happy reading!


	2. Questions & Curiosity

Aqua opened her eyes to find she was in a dark cell. Jerking up, she spun around wildly, trying to find her sons.

"Mama?" Vanitas whispered.

"Van? Where are you? And where's Ven?" Her voice cracked as she spoke.

"We're right here. We've been waiting for you to wake up." This time it was Ven who spoke. Aqua sagged to the floor in relief. Her sons were her world. If anything happened to them, she didn't know if she would be able to continue.

"I don't suppose you two know how long we've been in here?" She asked the boys. Light was seeping in through a window making them both easier to see.

"One-" Ven began.

"No, two!" Vanitas interrupted.

"Oh yeah! Two days." Ven finished. Aqua, who was beginning to stand up, almost fell back down at this. Two days?!

"Have you two had any food?" She asked in horror.

"Yup! There's a nice guard here who tells us stories and brings us good food. It's not so bad here." Vanitas asked. Pressing her hands to her forehead, Aqua fought off a wave of nausea. Her head was starting to pound from the hit she had taken a couple of days ago. Vaguely, she registered the cell door swinging open.

"Roxas!" Aqua heard Ven yell. She turned her clouded vision to face the guard who stared at her with a mixed expression.

"My master has requested your presence in the great hall. He wishes to speak with you." His voice was stern but kind.

"Thank you," Aqua replied. "But I refuse." Her sons watched with wide eyes. She dared to defy a man with such a huge and weird looking sword?

"I'm afraid you have little choice," Roxas spoke as he grabbed her by the arms. With Roxas pulling her along, Aqua glanced back to see the man in the black cloak pick up a squirming Ven and Vanitas.

* * *

Terra sat in his chair by the fire in the great hall. Currently, he was being forced to listen to his steward, Saix, complain about the increase of heartless in the land. A flash of movement by the entryway caught his eye and he sat up straighter. Roxas stood by the door, obviously using a great deal of strength to restrain something or someone. Had the woman with blue hair finally woken up? Dismissing his steward, Terra stood and summoned Roxas to him with a wave of his hand. Sure enough, he came in dragging the woman with blue hair behind him. Axel followed shortly with her boys. When Roxas and Axel left, taking all the remaining servants with them, Terra spoke up.

"Who gave you the right to trespass on my land?" These were the first words that left his mouth.

"No one did, sir, but I thought a woman and her boys could take a shortcut through some woods to find shelter. Apparently, I was wrong." Her voice was hard and cold. She never once looked up from the ground, yet she still managed to snub him.

"What is your name?" Terra asked, barely able to keep his temper in check.

"Aqua, and these are my boys, Ventus and Vanitas." She pointed to each one in turn.

"How old are the boys?" Terra wanted to know so he could find a place to put them. He had other plans for the mother that didn't involve them.

"They are three and I am nineteen and you will let us go!" Her voice rose to a shout with the last word. Finally, she raised her face to him and he froze. Aqua was gorgeous. Sapphire blue hair fell and framed her heart shaped face. Sky blue eyes full of hate pierced into his soul. He let his gaze fall to her mouth that was pressed into a thin line. Terra watched as her expression changed to confusion. Letting her face fall back towards the floor, she backed up a few steps. Terra smirked and turned towards a rope hanging down from the wall. Pulling on it caused a bell to ring. A woman with short, black hair entered the room. She had a kind smile that complemented her youthful face. A long, black dress swept the floor as she rushed along.

"You rang, master?" Her voice was warm and melodious.

"Take the boys to my childhood room, the one I had you prepare. Oh, and Xion, make sure they have supper waiting on them."

"Yes, sir." Xion turned to gather up the boys and leave, but Aqua stepped in her way.

"You will not take my sons. I will go with them." Her words were clipped.

"Sir?" Xion asked timidly.

"Aqua," he warned, watching as she turned to face him. Taking two steps forward, Terra was inches from her face.

"Xion will take them to their room and you will comply. Failure to do so will result in consequences." Aqua's eyes spit fire at him as he watched her walk over to Ven and Vanitas. He couldn't make out what she was saying, but both boys visibly relaxed. It was an odd concept to him - having a mother care so much for her sons. Heavens knew his own mother never did.

* * *

He was taking her sons. The insufferable brute was taking her sons. At least Xion seemed nice. Ven and Van had reluctantly left, leaving her alone with Terra. A man she knew quite well, though not for the reason people would think. Terra held a well-known reputation throughout all the worlds. One of the last powerful land holders, he owned the Land of Departure. He was also the last thing standing between the Rebellion and the crown. King Xehanort was the current ruler, with Sir Xemnas and Sir Ansem by his side as royal viziers. Terra was one of the last lords to support the crown, as many disagreed with the king's cruel and inhumane ways. The Rebellion was a growing group of people who wanted to overthrow the king. Aqua herself among them. The only problem were Terra and his army. They provided the brawn of the crown in exchange for a title and wealth. These reasons - plus a few others that Aqua wasn't willing to think about - made her loathe Terra.

Sighing she pushed her tangled mass of hair back. She must look horrid right now. A prickling at her neck caused her to look up. Terra was staring at her.

"May I help you?" Aqua asked.

"Why do you care so much for your boys?" His tone wasn't openly hostile or bitter like before. Now it was just curious.

"They…" She trailed off, unsure how to continue. Terra nodded his head, willing her to go on. "They are all I have left in this world. My parents are long gone, leaving me with two young boys at a young age. But we manage." Swallowing, she tried to ignore the growing pains of hunger in her stomach.

"And their father?" Now Terra was regarding her with a careful expression, as if gauging her reaction.

"He… He isn't around anymore? Look, I'm barely staying awake on my feet here and I'm starving. Can we just end this discussion?" Aqua tried to appeal to any kindness Terra might have in him. Groaning and rolling his eyes, Terra pulled on the string again, this time bringing in a woman with long, brown hair. Her dress was also a plain black, but Aqua noticed she had a pink bow at the back of her head. Large green eyes traced over Aqua as the stranger appraised her.

"Aerith, tell one of the kitchen maids to bring a plate up to my room, but not to enter. Leave the plate outside, knock, and leave. Do I make myself clear?" Terra's voice had gone back to the gruff, judgemental one from before.

"Crystal, M'lord." She turned and walked out of the room. Terra turned back around and faced Aqua.

"Follow me and I will show you to the room where you will be sleeping." Aqua nodded and began to follow him. Due to terra's long stride, she was almost running to keep up. He led her to a spiral staircase and began to climb. After what seemed like an eternity, they reached a long hallway. At the end of the hallway sat a huge grand staircase. Terra led her up the staircase and to the right.

"What's down that way?" Aqua asked, pointing to the left.

"A place where you can never go. Understood?" Aqua gave a half-hearted nod. The rest of the walk was spent in silence. Upon arriving at a huge oak door, Terra twisted the knob and pulled her in. Aqua gasped.

The room itself was huge, but divided. Upon entering, there was a sitting room full of red and bronze furniture. Black drapes covered a picture window. Through a smaller door she could see a huge four poster bed and another door that Aqua figured led to the bathroom.

"This is where I'll be staying?" She asked in disbelief.

"Yes." Terra's answer was short and clipped. He brushed past her and into the bedroom.

"Woah, woah, woah, what are you doing?" Came Aqua's confused voice as Terra laid down across the bed.

"This is my room too, and I'm tired, so shut your mouth and get comfortable."

"I am not sharing a bed with you. I have standards."

"Relax, it's not like you've never shared a bed before. Your sons are living proof," He spoke in a non-caring tone. And just like that, the dam broke. Aqua threw herself down on the nearest object, which happened to be a plush chair. She cried until her insides hurt. Utterly exhausted, she fell into a deep, restless sleep.

* * *

Terra stared at the exhausted girl. She had finally stopped her crying. The servant had come and gone with the food, leaving Terra alone with his thoughts. There was something vaguely familiar about Aqua's blue locks, something he couldn't quite put his finger on. And why wouldn't she talk about the father? Ah, well. There was always tomorrow. He would figure out why she was really here. People didn't just cu through his forest. It was too dark and dangerous, even for a keyblade master like himself. It was possible that Aqua was one too, but he doubted it. With those thoughts, he fell asleep.

* * *

Somewhere far away, a man stood in front of his master.

"Are you sure Terra will revive the Rebellion, sir? He seems pretty dedicated to you."

"Do you question me, child?"

"No, sir! It's just… Why stir up more trouble before it even begins? And what about all his loyal guards? Guards that protect you!"

"I have my reasons. Reasons that need not concern you yet. Now, I want you to get into his head. Make him love her and rip her away. You understand what will happen should you fail?"

"Yes. I will not fail you. Terra will break, King Xehanort.'

"Excellent."

* * *

 _Quicker update this time, but slower chapter. Eventually they will pick up, as currently I'm just trying to explain the logistics of the story. Once we meet a few more characters, I'll give you a summary to prevent confusion. Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read my story and happy reading!_


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